Looking for one of the best trail movies to watch? I hope this list of hiking movies helps!
Love trail movies?
Me too!
Inspiring and informative, they’re the next best thing to lacing up your boots and going on a real-life hike of your own.
But first you have to choose hiking movies worth watching!
I mean, you don’t want to waste your time with any old backpacking movies.
You want a compelling storyline, stunning cinematography, and epic overall production value that gets those hiking juices flowing.
In short, you want the best trail movies possible!
To simplify the decision, I’ve compiled a list of the best movies about backpacking and hiking I’ve either watched in the past or heard exceptional things about.
From Hollywood blockbuster movies about hiking to self-produced hiking documentaries, there should be something here that does the job.
Enjoy!
15 Awesome Trail Movies
In no particular order, here are my picks for the 15 best trail movies ever made!
You’ll find some these hiking movies on Netflix, others on designated websites, a few on Amazon Prime, and many on YouTube.
Wild is probably one of the most famous movies about hiking on this list!
1. Wild (2014)
IMDB: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
No list of trail movies would be complete without mentioning Wild!
Released in 2014 and based on the best-selling memoir by Cheryl Strayed, Wild’s ultimately a tale of the redemptive power of long-distance hiking.
In a totally inadequate nutshell for what’s an amazing book (and, in my opinion) a very good hiking movie, Wild follows Strayed as she treks the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from the Mojave Desert to Canada, alone but for her enormous backpack.
The story’s about much more than that though!
It details Strayed’s chequered and tormented past and follows her reflections and self-discoveries that occur along her journey to Canada.
Expect to be moved, riveted, and, as much as anything else, inspired to go on a long-distance hike of your own.
Indeed, Wild put the PCT on the map for many people- myself included.
From what I gather, it went from a relatively obscure, unknown thru-hike to a widely popular route for anyone looking for a challenge!
If you want to watch a trail movie documentary about the PCT, check out Tell It on the Mountain.
2. Tell It on the Mountain (2013)
IMDB: 8.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Watched Wild and want to dig deeper into what it’s like to hike the PCT?
Tell it on the Mountain should do the trick!
A documentary film, it follows a handful of intrepid hikers as they take this epic 2,663-mile trek from the Mexico border to Canada.
With each hiker recording the journey on a handheld camera, you gain a unique, fly-on-the-wall perspective of the trail, complete with the highs and lows of walking along it for 5/6 months.
I was chomping at the bit to give the PCT a crack just from the trailer!
Give it a watch, revel in the stunning shots of the diverse landscapes, and get the juices flowing to try a thru-hike for yourself.
I’d rank Into the Wild as one of the best hiking movies on this list!
3. Into the Wild (2007)
IMDB: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
One of my all-time favourite movies, Into the Wild’s more about adventure than it is straight-up hiking.
But I still think it deserves a spot on this list!
Accompanied by an epic soundtrack (courtesy of Eddie Vedder), Into the Wild tells the true story of Alexander Supertramp (AKA Christopher McCandless) who, frustrated by the excesses, inequalities, and confines of society, leaves everything behind to embark on a long, epic, and tumultuous journey “into the wild”.
Emile Hirsch does an amazing job as McCandless and the movie itself is uplifting, inspiring, challenging, and, at times, heart-wrenching.
I think it’ll appeal to anyone who’s tired of the daily grind, hungry for adventure, and enjoys finding out about fascinating people.
Tracks is an unforgettable trail movie that’s based on an unbelievable true story!
4. Tracks (2013)
IMDB: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Based upon another incredible true story, Tracks won awards when it first came out in 2013. It follows the mindboggling journey of an Australian woman, Robyn Davidson, as she attempts to trek 2000 miles across the red dirt of central Australia.
With only 4 camels and her beloved dog for company, 27-year-old Davidson (played by Mia Wasikowska) sets off from Alice Springs and heads west to the Indian Ocean.
As you’d expect, she battles the elements, the infamous Aussie wildlife, and her own personal demons along the way.
Expect amazing cinematography, a thought-provoking storyline, and an intricate look at what drives some people to strap on their hiking boots, take a risk and test their limits in the pursuit of self-discovery.
While it might not be the best movie about hiking here, A Walk in the Woods is still worthy of your time!
5. A Walk in the Woods (2015)
IMDB: 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 48%
Despite a strong cast that includes Robert Redford, Nick Nolte, and Emma Thompson, A Walk in the Woods came out to mixed reviews in 2015.
It might not be Oscar-worthy, but most people agree upon its well-made nature, light-hearted charm, and lovely chemistry between the characters!
As for its storyline, this trail movie’s based on an iconic Bill Bryson book (of the same name) that follows his epic 2000 mile journey along the Appalachian Trail with his old friend Katz.
Aside from the easy viewing, A Walk in the Woods is said to be a likable, humorous tale of friendship, with more thoughtful overtones of facing your mortality.
Backpacking movies about the Appalachian Trail don’t get much better than this one!
6. A Long Start to the Journey (Top Appalachian Trail Movies!)
IMDB: 8.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
The Long Start to the Journey is another movie about the Appalachian Trail.
This time, though, it’s a self-filmed documentary that follows Chris Gallaway (a filmmaker) as he spends 7 months making this monumental journey to Maine.
I’ve not watched this one either and, from what I gather, that fact’s much to my detriment! Well-made, personal, and full of beautiful imagery, anyone who takes the time to watch it can expect an honest look at the “Granddaddy of long trails” and what it’s like to hike along.
From the trail friendships, stunning wilderness, and ongoing trials and tribulations, it’s (as the trailer notes) “as close as you’ll come to a thru-hike without getting blisters”!
Interested in hiking the John Muir Trail? Don’t miss Mile…Mile & a Half!
7. Mile…Mile & a Half (2013) (Well-Known Hiking Documentaries!)
IMDB: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
“How long’s left to go?”
“Mile…Mile and a half.”
Anyone who loves hiking will have both heard and uttered these words on countless occasions (needless to say, it’s almost always further than 1.5 miles!). And that’s exactly why the makers of this documentary film picked them for the title.
In it, you watch a bunch of artist friends go on a memorable month-long trip along the 210-mile John Muir Trail.
Watch it for the breath-taking imagery, uplifting vibes, and to gain a newfound appreciation of the great outdoors.
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The Way is one of two Camino de Santiago movies on this list! Check it out to see Martin Sheen at his best.
8. The Way (2010)
IMDB: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Martin Sheen stars as a serious father whose only son decides to walk the Camino de Santiago (called the Way of St. James, in English), an infamous and ancient pilgrimage route in Spain/France.
Upon his son’s sudden death, Sheen’s character takes up the mantle and does the hike for himself, meeting a motley bunch of fellow hikers along the way.
A tale of grief, friendship, and redemption, The Way weaves moments of humour with sadness to create a well-rated hiking movie that’s said to be worthy of anyone’s time!
Fun fact: it was also written, directed, and produced by Sheen’s actual son, Emilio Estevez1
Prefer indie films by default? Southbounders could be the perfect trail movie for you.
9. Southbounders (2005)
IMDB: 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
Anybody hunting for a low-budget indie feature film to sink their teeth into should love Southbounders.
If the reviews I read are anything to go off, we’re all in for a treat with this one.
Described in various places as a “cinematic masterpiece” and “simple, eloquent, and heartfelt”, Southbounders follows a young woman as she treks the Appalachian Trail (heading, as you can imagine, south, from Maine to Georgia).
High-quality acting, likable characters, and classic indie vibes collide to create another worthy trail movie to add to your watch list.
Wildlike is another top-rated backpacking movie to watch whenever you get the chance!
10. Wildlike (2014)
IMDB: 6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Wildlike’s another trail movie I first came across while researching this article.
And I’m stoked it wound up on my radar!
Now, it definitely doesn’t seem like the most light-hearted movie in the world. But with over 100 film festival awards and a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s hard to argue with its class.
The storyline goes something like this:
A teenage girl, MacKenzie, gets sent to Alaska following a series of traumatic events. Once she’s there, though, her situation goes from bad to worse when her uncle, with whom she’s living, becomes abusive.
She runs away, eventually crosses paths with a widowed backpacker, and this unlikely duo sets forth on a hike across Alaska!
All told, Wildlike seems like a story of contrasts: tragedy set to a backdrop of natural beauty, gradually shifting to a welcome sense of hope.
The Way Back’s another hiking movie that’s based on an incredible true story!
11. The Way Back (2010)
IMDB: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
Some true stories are so crazy they beggar belief.
The Way Back tells the tale of one such event.
Based on a memoir by Slawomir Rawicz (called The Long Way), it’s about a group of prisoners who escaped a soviet gulag in 1940.
With nothing but the clothes on their back and a dogged determination to survive, they walk 4000 miles to freedom in India, battling one setback and near-death experience after another along the way.
This hiking movie isn’t meant to be as amazing as the story itself, but its stellar cast and impressive cinematography make The Way Back more than worthy of this list.
Adventure movies don’t get much more intense than 127 Hours.
12. 127 Hours (2010)
IMDB: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
127 Hours is based on another incredible true story and was even nominated for an Oscar.
I guess it’s more of an epic, unbelievable tale of survival than a trail movie. But I think anyone who loves hiking’s sure to appreciate it!
Directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco, it follows the story of Aron Ralston who, aged 27, went solo canyoneering (that’s sort of like hiking, right?) near Moab, Utah.
Everything was good…until it wasn’t.
Ralston dislodges a boulder, which falls and traps his right arm.
In the middle of nowhere, with a minuscule amount of food/water, and unable to move, he’s stuck for 127 hours until he decides to do the unthinkable…
He later wrote a book about the experience (Between a Rock and Hard Place), upon which the movie’s based. I highly recommend giving the film a watch and the book a read!
Watch Do More With Less for more unique insights on hiking the PCT.
13. Do More With Less (2015)
IMDB: N/A
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
We’re back to hiking documentaries again and yet another one about the Pacific Crest Trail!
Stay with me, though, this one’s well worth your time.
With rave reviews across the web, Do More With Less compiles intimate, enlightening, and inspiring conversations with over 100 hikers as they journey from the Mexico border to Canada.
Watch it to learn what makes thru-hikers tick, why they lace up their boots and hit the trail for months at a time, and how they overcome the endless challenges that crop up along the way.
Movies about hiking don’t get much more moving than I’ll Push You.
14. I’ll Push You (2017)
IMDB: 8.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Looking for a trail movie that’ll move, inspire, and transfix you?
Check out I’ll Push You.
This incredible documentary (100% on rotten tomatoes!) follows two lifelong friends, Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck, as they attempt to traverse the 500 mile Camino de Santiago.
The real kicker?
Justin has a rare progressive neurological condition that confines him to a wheelchair. Amazingly, the adventure was his idea.
And Patrick volunteered to push him.
I’ve only seen the trailer so far, but it was instantly clear that this isn’t one to miss.
Get ready to watch in awe as these two incredible people do the seemingly impossible. And prepare to watch with tears in your eyes as you witness true friendship overcome endless adversity.
Edie’s one of the only movies about backpacking based in the UK! Give it a watch for awesome views across the Scottish Highlands.
15. Edie (2017)
IMDB: 6.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
Here’s another inspiring hiking movie that, to my detriment, I’m yet to see for myself!
But it’s been recommended so many times elsewhere that I couldn’t not include it.
Edie’s an inspiring tale of an elderly woman, Edie, who decides to shun the suggestion of her daughter to move into a retirement home and climb a mountain in the Scottish highlands instead!
Poignant and heart-warming, it seems to be a tale of defying the odds, facing up to your mortality, and living life without regrets.
…With insane footage of the Scottish natural beauty thrown in for good measure!
Watch the Best Hiking Movies
The best trail movies offer a perfect solution when you’re stuck indoors and can’t hit the trail with your own two feet.
Aside from learning a thing or two about the practicalities of hiking, you become transfixed by peoples’ epic journeys, the beautiful landscapes they walk through, and the life-changing lessons they glean from the trip.
Ultimately, you watch good hiking movies and can’t help but be inspired.
With endless options, though, the tricky part’s finding the best backpacking movies to watch in the first place! Know the struggle?
Well, I hope these 15 movies about hiking will solve all your problems! Whether you watch one, some, or all of them, it shouldn’t be long before sure chomping at the bit to lace up your hiking boot and go for a walk.
Now I’d love to hear from you!
I’m always on the hunt for more epic hiking movies to watch, so please drop a comment below if you have any additional suggestions for this list!
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